HANS ULRICH OBRIST / CURATOR / ZURICH

How can politics encourage creativity and innovation?It is really very difficult to say what the world needs and what a specific place needs. Vienna’s artists, museums, galleries and art schools enjoy an excellent reputation. In Austria, however, cultural policy has failed to create a large-scale art event, a huge gathering that the world takes notice of like a Biennale or Documenta, which has critical mass and brings the whole art world to Vienna to see its extraordinary art scene. Cultural policy should support such projects.

What do you like best about Zurich?For me, Zurich is the city where the great artists Peter Fischli and David Weiss live. In 1991, they participated in my kitchen exhibition. They strongly influence my thought processes as a curator. They are heroes!

What should the world know about your work?I work as a curator. I write and edit books. My aim is to expand knowledge and experience, but also to deepen it. This is why my work involves both group exhibitions and exhibitions with individual artists. Expanding makes you curious, and curiosity helps to drive a project.
It has only just begun!